


Then

by amorluzymelodia



Series: Snapshots [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Pre-Canon, Stanford Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-29 23:46:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16274849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amorluzymelodia/pseuds/amorluzymelodia
Summary: Sam moves in to his college dorm, and gets a call from a friend.Set before the show actually starts. Part of my snapshots series.





	Then

He’d fought monsters. He’d killed vampires and werewolves. He’d seen and done things normal people only saw in their nightmares. He’d kept the world safe from demons and wendigos and tulpas. There was nothing scarier than the things he’d seen.

So why was something as simple as moving into a college dorm giving him a panic attack?

Sam wanted this. He’d worked ridiculously hard to get where he was. All the hours spent studying in the back of the Impala, all the fights with John, all the times he was reading up on lore while simultaneously quizzing himself on vocab. He was so incredibly proud of himself, and as much as he hated the hunting life and didn’t want to become John’s “perfect little soldier” like Dean…at least with hunting he knew the ropes. He knew where he was supposed to go, what he was supposed to do. Hell, even his dorm room reminded him of the shitty motels he’d slept in his whole life. Moving in was quick, because he didn’t have much anyway. Somehow, he’d gotten a dorm to himself, the first time he’d slept in a room by himself in his entire life. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He wasn’t sure how to feel about this whole situation honestly. Sam had worked hard to get here, and now that he was here…what was the next step?

Sam felt the panic rising up in his chest as he lay on his twin bed, staring at the ceiling. Who did he think he was? Why did he think he could leave and go to school, make his own life? He had no fucking clue how to do this, how to do college, make friends, go to class, be _normal_. He had fucking knives hidden in multiple places around his room, just in case. He still painted a devil’s trap underneath the shitty rug he put in front of his door. And yet he still thought he could leave the hunting life, go to law school, become a lawyer.

Just as Sam was about to go into full-on panic mode, his phone buzzed and he looked down at it, anticipating Dean or John’s name to pop up. But then he remembered he’d changed his phone weeks ago, and thrown it into a dumpster just in case. No one had his number…right?

When he looked down he saw Bobby’s number flashing up at him and grinned, answering it immediately.

“Hey, Bobby.”

“Why the hell did you change numbers?” Sam smiled at the gruff voice on the other end, not realizing how much he needed something familiar right now. “I had to go through like eight phone companies and bribe a receptionist to get your number, kid.”

Sam grinned and laughed. “Sorry, Bobby.”

Bobby paused for a moment and sighed and Sam could just envision him sitting at his desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand and about a dozen lore books open in front of him.

“How you doin’, Sam?” he asked and Sam could’ve cried right then.

“It’s uh…it’s different.” Sam said, avoiding Bobby’s question. “Got all set up in my dorm, I don’t start classes until Monday so I figured I’d spend the weekend kind of getting the lay of the land y’know?”

“Wasn’t what I asked you.” Bobby wasn’t going to let him off easy. “How are you?”

Sam swallowed and let out a long breath. “What am I doing, Bobby?” he asked, letting his fear slip into his voice, knowing Bobby was the only one who could understand, or at least supported him in this decision. He’d helped Sam pay for his applications, driven him to tests when John refused, and had actually been proud when Sam told him he’d gotten a full ride.

“You’re making a difference.” Bobby answered. “In your life, and in other people’s lives once you get that degree.”

“If I get the degree,” Sam could practically hear Bobby roll his eyes.

“You will.” He paused. “I know this wasn’t an easy decision. But Dean and your old man will come around, and even if they don’t…you still got me, alright? You need something, you just give me a call.”

Sam wiped a tear off his cheek. “Thanks, Bobby.”

"I ain’t gonna promise it’ll be easy.” Bobby said. “But if there’s anyone in this world that can do this, it’s you, Sam.” Bobby paused again and cleared his throat. “Now go to a frat party or something, drink too much, sleep with somebody and just…be a normal goddamn kid for once.”

Sam actually laughed. “Will do.”

“And Sam?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m proud of you.”

Sam swallowed and clutched his pillow close to his chest, fighting back tears.

“Thank you.”

“Get some sleep, son. And gimme a call once in a while. Gets boring out here in the sticks.”

Sam smiled. “Yes, sir.”

“Night, kid.”

“Night, Bobby.”

Sam hung up and took a deep breath. Bobby was right, this wasn’t an easy decision and he knew this was going to be more difficult than anything he’d done before. But Sam knew this was what he wanted, what he needed. And even with the anxiety causing his heart to pound against his ribs, he knew in his gut he could do this.


End file.
